The 10 best burgers in Chicago

Chicago argues about burgers the way other cities argue about sports radio. There is the tavern camp (thin patties, griddle crust, a soft bun, onions), the smash camp that took over the city in the 2010s, and the sit-down camp that treats a burger as a plated entree with frites and a wine list. This list has all three, from a $6 bar burger in Logan Square to a $28 cheeseburger from the team behind a three-Michelin-star kitchen in the West Loop, with stops on the Far South Side, the Northwest Side and Edgewater.

The list favors places that have been doing the same burger for years, patties ground or blended in house, and rooms where the burger is the reason people come rather than a menu afterthought. Expect to pay about $6 to $10 at the counter-service stands and bars, $17 to $21 at the tavern and diner picks, and $25 to $28 at the two sit-down restaurants, usually with fries. Add-ons such as bacon and a fried egg run $2 to $7 on top.

How we chose

The order is based on how consistently each place shows up across independent local coverage (Eater Chicago, Chicago Magazine, the Tribune, the Sun-Times, Block Club, Time Out and The Infatuation), how long each has been doing this, and named awards with dates, such as the 2026 World’s 101 Best Burgers list that Time Out Chicago reported on in June 2026 and Time magazine’s January 2014 list of influential burgers. We also weighed breadth: a place that gets a mention in one outlet’s 27-entry roundup ranks below one that has been on every list for a decade. No entry was ranked on any single site’s star rating, and every address below was confirmed on the business’s own website. Where we could not confirm an address, we left it out.

Hours and prices below come from each business and change without notice. Call ahead if you are making a special trip.

Au Cheval

The line on Randolph Street is still there, and the cheeseburger at https://windycitymagazine.com/business/au-cheval/ still tops nearly every local list. The Hogsalt diner griddles thin patties and stacks them with American cheese, pickles and dijonnaise on a soft bun; the menu lists the single at $17.99 and the double at $19.99. A fried egg and thick bacon are the classic add-ons. The Infatuation’s August 2026 burger guide rates this cheeseburger higher than any other in the city, which is why the diner holds the top spot. The room is small and loud, so plan on a long lunch with a beer rather than a quick bite.

Hours: Mon-Sat 10 a.m. to 11:15 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m. to 10:15 p.m.

Address: 800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Why they made the list

• The fried egg add-on is $3.49 and bacon is $6.99, per the menu on the restaurant’s site.
• Walk-ins go on a text list, and the restaurant says waits are shortest right at opening and on weekdays between 2 and 4:30 p.m.
• A limited number of Resy reservations exist for parties of up to four.
• The Morgan stop on the Green and Pink lines is two blocks away.

See the full directory listing

The Loyalist

Downstairs from Smyth, which holds three Michelin stars, chef John Shields runs a looser room where the main event is a cheeseburger. The OG Cheeseburger at https://windycitymagazine.com/business/the-loyalist/ is $28 with frites, on a sesame bun with pickled and charred onion, and the patty blend of chuck, short rib and bacon (per The Infatuation) is the reason the burger keeps landing on lists. The restaurant sits second because the pedigree and the world ranking are hard to argue with, but a $28 burger suits a date or a birthday more than a Tuesday. A newer French Smash, also $28, is a griddled patty with mornay and herb butter.

Hours: Tue-Sat 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Address: 177 N Ada St, Suite 101, Chicago, IL 60607

Why they made the list

• In June 2026 Time Out Chicago reported that the 2026 World’s 101 Best Burgers list ranked this burger 22nd in the world, the highest of four Chicago entries (Time Out Chicago, June 23, 2026).
• The menu page lists a 5 to 6 p.m. happy hour with $11 martinis and Manhattans.
• The seasonal patio on Ada Street is easier to get into than the dining room.
• Reservations run through Tock, per the restaurant’s site.

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Kuma’s Corner

Heavy metal on the speakers, a pretzel roll under every burger, and names like Slayer, Mastodon and Plague Bringer on the menu. https://windycitymagazine.com/business/kumas-corner/ opened in 2005 at Belmont and Francisco as a corner bar and turned into the model for the loud, over-topped Chicago burger bar. The house burger, the Kuma, is bacon, cheddar, a fried egg, lettuce, tomato and red onion; the Slayer is a burger dumped over fries with chili, andouille and cherry peppers. Two decades of coverage and a national nod keep the bar in the top three. Good for groups and for anyone who wants a burger with a stout, not for a quiet conversation.

Hours: Sun-Thu 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Address: 2900 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Why they made the list

• Time magazine put Kuma’s on its January 2014 list of the most influential burgers (Time, January 10, 2014).
• The menu lists 16 named burgers plus a rotating special, and the beer list skips the big domestic brands.
• The original location takes reservations, per the restaurant’s site.
• A second location is at 1570 E Golf Rd in Schaumburg.

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Redhot Ranch

The cheapest burger in the top five is also one of the most argued over. https://windycitymagazine.com/business/redhot-ranch/ grew out of 35th Street Redhots, a Depression-dog stand near the ballpark that opened in 2005, and the owners added an In-N-Out-style double cheeseburger in 2014 after a trip to Las Vegas. Two thin patties, special sauce, lettuce, tomato and onion on a squishy bun, wrapped in wax paper, with fresh-cut fries on the side. The stand ranks fourth for value and consistency: the posted menu lists the double cheeseburger with fries under $8. You order at the counter and eat out of the paper.

Hours: Every day 10:30 a.m. to midnight

Address: 3057 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

Why they made the list

• The Infatuation’s 2026 guide lists the stands as cash only, so bring bills.
• The Bucktown stand at 2449 W Armitage Ave and the Skokie stand at 4811 Dempster St keep the same 10:30 a.m. to midnight hours, per the company’s site.
• The original 35th Street Redhots at 500 W 35th St in Bridgeport closes at 8 p.m. on weekdays and is closed Sundays.
• Midnight closing makes this the late-night pick on the list.

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Little Bad Wolf

Tall, messy and built on red-onion mayonnaise. The Bad Burger at https://windycitymagazine.com/business/little-bad-wolf/ is two patties, two slices of American cheese and house pickles for $20.95 with fries or salad; the Wolf Burger adds a third patty, bacon, onion straws and a fried egg for $25.95. This is a bar first, so the burger suits a night out more than a family dinner, and a 2026 world ranking plus a Sun-Times reader vote put the Andersonville bar in the middle of the list. Time Out’s review singled out the patio as worth the wait.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 1541 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago, IL 60660

Why they made the list

• The bar landed at number 83 on the 2026 World’s 101 Best Burgers list, per Time Out Chicago’s June 2026 report.
• Sun-Times readers named the bar in the paper’s April 2026 burger roundup.
• Bacon or an egg on any burger is $2, per the menu.
• The restaurant does not take reservations, so go early on weekends; the Bryn Mawr Red Line stop is about a half-mile east.

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Top Notch Beefburgers

Nothing on this list is older. https://windycitymagazine.com/business/top-notch-beefburgers/ has been grinding beef in Beverly since 1942, and the burger is the plain kind: a griddled patty with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, pickles and your choice of grilled or raw onions, plus sharp American cheese if you want it. The Infatuation’s August 2026 guide is honest that nostalgia is part of the appeal, which is why the shop sits sixth rather than higher. Suits families, anyone who grew up on the South Side, and anyone doing a Beverly day around the Ridge Historic District.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: Beverly, on 95th Street just east of Western Avenue

Why they made the list

• Sun-Times readers put the shop on the paper’s April 2026 list for the in-house grind.
• Regulars treat the fries as the main event, per the 2026 coverage.
• The 95th Street corridor is easier by car than by train; the 49 Western bus runs past the corner.

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Moody’s Pub

Since 1959 the point of https://windycitymagazine.com/business/moodys-pub/ has been the same: a charbroiled burger cooked over an open flame, a bowl of free peanuts, and a dark ski-lodge room with fireplaces and candles on the tables. The Moodyburger is $17, the cheese version starts at $18, and there is a bleu cheese build at $19.50 and a gouda one at $18. The pub is the tavern pick on this list for atmosphere rather than technique, and that is why the burger sits in the middle rather than the top. Suits a first date in January or a big table any month.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 5910 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60660

Why they made the list

• The patty is charbroiled rather than smashed, and the menu also lists turkey, veggie and plant-based versions.
• In winter the fireplaces are the draw.
• The Thorndale Red Line stop is about a two-minute walk, per the pub’s own site, and the 36 Broadway bus stops out front.

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Community Tavern

Six Corners has a proper dinner-out burger. The Community Double Cheeseburger at https://windycitymagazine.com/business/community-tavern/ is $18: two patties, American cheese, pickles, caramelized onions and a house sauce made with fish sauce, on brioche with skinny fries. The Infatuation’s 2026 guide calls out how carefully the thing is put together, and the rest of the menu (tuna tataki, green papaya salad) tells you this is a full restaurant with a burger on the menu. The restaurant is the family pick on the list, and ranks eighth because the burger has one outlet’s endorsement rather than a decade of them.

Hours: Tue-Thu 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Mon

Address: 4038 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60641

Why they made the list

• A kids’ cheeseburger is $10, and kids 12 and under eat free Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday with an adult entree of $16 or more.
• A mandatory 20 percent service charge is included in the check, so the menu price is closer to the real price than it looks.
• There is a pay lot at Cuyler and LaPorte.

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Charly’s Burgers

The bacon goes into the grind instead of on top. Every patty at https://windycitymagazine.com/business/charlys-burgers/ is a 90/10 blend of beef and bacon, cooked well-done on a sesame seed bun, and the namesake Charly’s Burger stacks two 6-ounce patties with American cheese, grilled onions, pickles and special sauce. The Pina Burger swaps in Chihuahua cheese, grilled pineapple and jalapeno. Suits a weekday lunch on the Northwest Side and anyone who thinks the tavern and sit-down camps both take burgers too seriously. The shop is newer to the lists than the places above, which is the only reason the burger sits ninth.

Hours: Tue-Sat 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; closed Sun-Mon

Address: 2320 N Cicero Ave, Chicago, IL 60639

Why they made the list

• The Infatuation gave the shop an 8.2 in its August 2026 guide and filed the burger under cheap eats.
• The menu also lists a Juicy Burger with garlic aioli, an All-American and a plant-based option.
• Counter service only, with a 7 p.m. close, so this is a lunch stop rather than a dinner one.
• The shop is on Cicero Avenue north of Fullerton, on the 54 Cicero bus line.

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Best Intentions

A cocktail bar with a $6 burger sounds like a gimmick until you eat one. https://windycitymagazine.com/business/best-intentions/ calls itself a fancy cocktail bar, and the burger is a small seasoned patty with cheese, griddled onions, pickles and a house joppiesaus, the Dutch fry sauce. The Infatuation’s August 2026 guide scored the burger 8.4, higher than several of the sit-down entries above, so tenth place reflects a short track record rather than the food. This is the round-of-burgers-for-the-table pick, and the best value on the list by a wide margin. Suits a bar crawl on Armitage or a late dinner after a show.

Hours: Tue-Fri 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.; Sun 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; closed Mon

Address: 3281 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• The Infatuation noted a baker’s dozen deal at $72 for tables that want 13 burgers at once.
• Saturday and Sunday open at 11 a.m. for the daytime crowd, per the bar’s site.
• Last call is 2 a.m. most nights and 3 a.m. on Saturday.

See the full directory listing

Also worth knowing

The fast-casual sibling of Au Cheval, https://windycitymagazine.com/business/small-cheval/ at 1732 N Milwaukee Ave in Wicker Park, sells the same double cheeseburger house style (dijonnaise, onions, pickles) with counter service, soft serve and a Malort milkshake if you insist. The Wicker Park location’s page lists hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and the company adds a 3.25 percent surcharge to checks.

Logan Square’s https://windycitymagazine.com/business/gretel/ at 2833 W Armitage Ave is Little Bad Wolf’s sister bar, with a double-patty everything-bun burger with American cheese, bacon and garlic aioli that made The Infatuation’s 2026 list, and a $50 foie gras and egg burger for a special occasion. The restaurant does not take reservations.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best burger in Chicago?

Au Cheval’s cheeseburger in the West Loop tops this list and most local ones, including The Infatuation’s August 2026 guide, at $17.99 for a single and $19.99 for a double. The Loyalist’s $28 OG Cheeseburger is the one with the biggest outside honor: 22nd in the world on the 2026 World’s 101 Best Burgers list, per Time Out Chicago.

How much does a good burger cost in Chicago?

Less than you might think. Best Intentions in Logan Square sells a $6 burger and Redhot Ranch’s double cheeseburger comes with fries for under $8. Tavern and diner burgers such as Moody’s Pub and Au Cheval run $17 to $20, and the two sit-down picks, Little Bad Wolf’s Wolf Burger and The Loyalist, run $25.95 to $28 with fries.

Which Chicago burger places are open late?

Redhot Ranch’s Lakeview, Bucktown and Skokie stands stay open every day until midnight, and Best Intentions has last call at 2 a.m. most nights and 3 a.m. on Saturday. Au Cheval takes walk-ins until 11:15 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:15 p.m. on Sunday, per the restaurant’s site.

See a place we missed or a detail that has changed? Send us a correction.